Teatru Malta, Teatru Manoel, and Spazju Kreativ have come together in collaboration with the Maltese Council for the Arts for another edition of the Studio Francis Ebejer initiative, the Ministry for National Heritage said in a statement on Monday.
Following a selection process, the Ministry said that three plays have been selected for further development as part of Francis Ebejer’s 100th anniversary celebration. National Heritage Minister Owen Bonnici said that Studio Francis Ebejer has significant importance as a crucial platform for stories in the Maltese language, and emphasised that this initiative is instrumental for both emerging and established writers, as it offers a unique opportunity to produce high-quality works in Maltese.
Bonnici encouraged writers to benefit from this opportunity and give life to Maltese narratives. He continued that the collaboration between cultural institutions in this project is an investment in the country’s cultural heritage, and he expressed satisfaction in seeing new stories resulting from this edition of the project.
Mary Ann Cauchi, Director within the Maltese Council for the Arts, said that Studio Francis Ebejer is a framework for fostering stories in Maltese, “Which offers an essential platform both for emerging screenwriters, as well as for those established.” She said that the council supports initiatives which celebrate and elevate the national language through theatre and radio, and added that this collaboration is an investment in cultural heritage, “empowering writers to bring exciting Maltese narratives to life”. She remarked that the council looks forward to seeing the new voices and stories which will emerge from this year’s edition of the project.
Teatru Malta’s Artistic Director, Sean Buhagiar, said that the initiative of Studio Francis Ebejer continues to grow and continues to promote Maltese projects with narratives that have a strong and timely message. “These selected works not only reflect our history and contemporary social dynamics but also give rise to new discussions. We look forward to bringing these stories to life.”
Buhagiar continued that with this year being the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Francis Ebejer, these celebrations will include a series of events which will honour Ebejer’s contributions to Maltese literature and theatre, and ensure that his stories continue to be respected by future generations. “The anniversary will be a true celebration of the legacy he left behind.”
Daniel Azzopardi, Artistic Director of Spazju Kreattiv, said that this renewed initiative remains essential for the continued growth of the Maltese theatre sector by providing both emerging and established playwrights with the platform to improve their skills and present innovative concepts and ideas. “Those selected will be equipped with the necessary resources to refine their scripts and to stage them in a professional and high-quality manner in our main performance spaces.”
The selected works, which were selected following a call for script writers to submit and develop plays for theatre and radio with a particular emphasis on works in the Maltese language, are the following as listed by the Ministry:
1. "Ġimgħa l-Ħabs" (A week in prison) by Chantelle Micallef Grimaud - This historical play with a strong message which is set in 1825 was chosen to be produced by Teatru Malta, and is scheduled for 2026. The play reflects the themes of justice, gender inequality and social resistance.
2. "S.O.F.I.A" by Anthony Portelli - A satirical comedy that explores modern relationships, artificial intelligence, and societal values. It will be produced by Teatru Manoel and will offer a humorous interpretation but at the same time will make the viewer think about the link between technology and behaviour.
3. "Ċama Ċama" by Gabriel Lia - This community narrative that will surely interest anyone, set against the background of a Maltese festival, goes into the socio-political conflicts of tradition, religion, and personal greed. It will be produced by Spazju Kreattiv.
4. Aside from that, the winning radio play, entitled "Fuq il-Bjut" (On the rooftops) by Vince Vella, will also be developed and produced. This play is set during the Egyptian Revolution of 2010-2011 and explores the lives of those individuals who lived on the roofs of Cairo during times of great social upheaval.
The Ministry said that the collaborating institutions are planning a series of events to celebrate the legacy left behind by Francis Ebejer. It continued that in October, Teatru Manoel will stage the "Għażiż Francis" (Dear Francis) production directed by Peter Busuttil. It continued that in April, Spazju Kreattiv will present a musical evening with a dramatised reading of selected passages from Ebejer’s novels.
Following this, it said that in August, a special production titled "Vum Barala Zungara u min kitibha" (Vum Barala Zungara and who wrote it) will be staged with an adaptation by Albert Marshall which will bring together Teatru Malta, ŻfinMalta and KorMalta of NAPA in a collaborative show inside Fort Sant Iermu. It concluded that this production will be financed by the Foundation for Maltese National Celebrations.